GOOD AS NEW???

Just got the car back from the shop. I had them replace every part related to spark on the car. Probably could have got by just replacing the cover for the coils as that turned out to be where the major short was. The computer would only read out random misfire. Don't cha just love these new cars where all you do is replace parts---no mechanic work. Just.Replace.The.Part. And keep replacing them until you find the one that isn't any good---pretty spendy experimentation if you ask me.

MECHANICAL CHALLENGES

Last night on the way home from Foster Parent classes in a town about 50 miles north I started to pass a pickup truck that was going pretty slow. I got even with the truck and then the car wouldn't gain any speep. Nope.No.Speed. There was a car coming and I struggled to get past the pickup and back on my side of the road in time to miss the oncoming traffic. It wasn't really close but it scared me that I couldn't get the car to go any faster.

When I got back in my lane the check engine light was flashing---FLASHING---I have never seen one do that before. I rolled the window down to listen to the car and it was having a really hard time running. It was like it was running on two cylinders or that the exhaust was plugged. Since we were only about 30 miles from home when it did this I decided to limp it on in to home if I could. The best I could get out of the car was 60 miles an hour and that only when we were going downhill. So much of our interstate time was at 45-55 m.p.h. There wasn't a lot of traffic so we didn't pose a serious lane impediment.

When we got off the freeway I ran the stop sign because I didn't dare stop, because I didn't think I could get the car started again. Shortly after that a police car pulled in behind me followed me a couple of blocks and then passed me. I told Inklings the reason he didn't stop us was because he could tell something was wrong with the car. I ran the stop sign at the turn to our house and barely got the car up the drive way and into the garage.

Hope I can get it to the shop here in a few minutes. I'm just killing time right now waiting for them to open. My bet the problem is a plugged catalytic converter or that one of the coils is blowing the spark out the side of the coil again. I hope one of the above is all it is!!!

WAITIN' ON THE DOC

I can't go anywhere today until after 2:00 p.m. because I have to get my stitches out. I can't get them out 'til after 2:00 because the Doc isn't in until 2:00 on Tuesday---if I had any guts at all I would take them out myself---nope no guts.

OUT TA' LUNCH

I asked Inklings if she wanted to go out to lunch today at about 10:30---she said that would be OK. I told her to get in the car we were leaving for lunch---at 10:36 we pulled out. We drove a couple of hours and had lunch and went shopping for some things. Then we drove home arriving about 5:15. Nice lunch---Nice drive---great company. Sure made the day pass quickly.

POLITICAL BICKERING---WHATEVER HAPPENED TO AMERICA?

OK t'day I am getting on my soap box. Some of you that read this will remember (and some won't) Mike Mansfield the great (AND I DO MEAN GREAT) Congressman (1943-1953) and Senator (1953-1977) from the GREAT STATE OF MONTANA. Before that he served in the Navy, the Army and the Marines---yes three branches of the service. After that he served 11 years as our ambassador to Japan. He also served as the Majority Leader of the Senate from 1953-1977. He is buried in Arlington in a remote corner with a stone that reads---Mike Mansfield PFC US Marines. You see he was humble too.

I remember once in a TV interview he was asked how the people of Montana wanted him to vote on an issue---he responded (and these aren't quotes just the way I remember them---you could probably google and get the exact wording): The people of Montana don't tell me how to vote---I vote my own concience every single time. I am a representative for America. If they or the party do not like my vote they can work to have me replaced in the next election. So this dude had a concience for America. I can't remember the issue but I distinctly remember him saying---THIS IS NOT A DEMOCRATIC PROBLEM---THIS IS NOT A REPUBLICAN PROBLEM---THIS IS AN AMERICAN PROBLEM AND WE HAD DAMN WELL BETTER GET TOGETHER AND SOLVE IT. (I think this was about inflation in the 70's but am not sure)

There have always been issues and public debate on lots of things but now there is ONLY particinship. And none of the elected officials care what the results are they only care about how it affects their re-election chances and the ammunition it gives them for their next campaign. I am to the point that I really wonder if Washington can solve a single problem---not pass a law but solve a problem. I don't think it is possible any more because I don't think enough of our elected officials are willing to SOLVE AMERICAS PROBLEMS---they are just happy to represent us and their party.

I, FOR ONE, MISS MIKE MANSFIELD---AND I MISS WHAT HE STOOD FOR. HE WAS ELECTED AS A DEMOCRAT BUT IN MY OPINION HE WAS A TRUE AMERICAN. THAT'S MY $0.02 FOR T'DAY!

FACE OFF AND OTHER FUN STUFF

Here is what I did Thursday---nothing serious but the four spots have started to change so they are off and on the way to the cancer lab---Doc is pretty sure there is no problem but we'll know for sure in a few days.....shoulda done this forty or fifty years ago.




Here is the little project I did Wednesday. I finally got the drip torch from Cascade Fire Equipment. When I went to get the parts for the lamp the guy at Home Depot that was helping me find them wouldn't let me get just a plain globe he talked me into getting the one in the lamp---it flickers like a candle. It turned out better than I had ever hoped for. Was tougher that I thought to thread the electrical wire through the nozzle though---and stiffer wire would get around the circle but then wouldn't go up the straight part.

A MOMENT IN TIME

Today we went south to court with our son and his wife. We drove for two hours. When we got to the court house they weren't there. Their case was scheduled for 2:15 and at 2:10 they still weren't there (and my son was trained better than that). I was getting very nervous---they arrived just barely after that but I didn't look at the clock to get the time. At 2:15 they called us in for the hearing on the case---at 2:18 the judge closed the case---at 2:23 we were outside the courthouse with their case finally being closed with signed papers in hand. We drove home for two more hours.

Four hours driving for eight minutes in court---time well spent---the only reason to go was to show support---glad we did the judge called on us for our thoughts before he closed the case---as the title implied it was a MOMENT IN TIME---and not much more than that.

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SPRING DAY

It is currently 36 degrees and it is snowing like there is no tomorrow---a beautiful white out---glad I don't have to go anywhere today. Look at the bright side---with temperatures like this the snow won't stay on the roads or sidewalks very long. Gotta love spring. If you don't like the weather stick around a few minutes and it'll change to something better---or WORSE.

HEALTH CARE

With most legislation everyone knows what is going to be required when the bill gets signed into law. With this addition to our laws I do not believe there is a single person that knows what this law is going to require. NO.NOT.ONE.

There has been lots of talk and battling done over this 2400 page monstrosity and it goes back to the Senate for reconciliation (whatever that is going to end up doing) so even though it is now the law of the land---NOBODY KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS.

SHAME ON OUR LEGISLATORS---ALL OF THEM---MY VOTE IS TO CLEAN HOUSE IN NOVEMBER!

HEALTH CARE---THE DEBATE IS OVER

The debate on public health care is over---it passed at 22:48 edt---a few hours later than was allowed by the house rules but then that doesn't really matter anyway.

Now the big question is what does it mean other than the bill is $1.2 TRILLION? For all of you that worked with me this is where the statement I made all the time "IT'S ONLY MONEY" came from. There is absolutely no concience in Washington D.C. Even after the bill passed---in true party fashion---the Republicans voted en mass not to send the reconciliation package to the Senate---WHAT THE H _ _ _?????

If there is no reconciliation then all the debate over the last three weeks was in vain. BUT WHAT DO I KNOW???? I'M JUST A SIMPLE FORESTER.

VERNAL EQUINOX T'DAY AT 11:32

Today we have the Vernal equinox. I spent a little time on google this morning trying to figure out what that is all about. What I found is this is one of two days a year where we have equal amounts of light and dark (Vernal and Autumnal equinoxes). It is midway between the winter and summer solstices. It is also the official first day of spring---hang on to your hats we're gonna get some storm to celebrate spring---maybe not today but we aren't out of the woods yet.

GUARD TURKEY

I know all of you have heard about guard dogs but have you ever heard of a guard turkey? I went to visit a friend the other day and found that he has lots of birds around the place as well as two old spaniel dogs. I got out of the car and was pretty worried about the dogs but they came up and were friendly so I thought I am OK just go knock on the door.

I knocked on the door nearest the front of the house without any response. It looked like all the foot traffic into the house went up the hill to the door upstairs and on the back of the house. So I meandered up there. There were pea hens, a couple of peacocks and two turkeys---one a big old TOM. While I walked up to the door the Tom waddled up to watch me knock on the door (or so I thought). I went up to the door and knocked and there was no response. So that being the case I decided I would go back to the car and come see my friend another day. I turned and started off the porch and the Tom Turkey started trying to peck me.

I pushed him away with my foot and he tried to peck me again. I pushed him away again and he flew at me and tried to hook me with his spurs. It made me a little nervous and I tried to shoo him away. He decided I was up to no good and he really started trying to attack me--he flew at me and jabbed his spurs at me and tried to peck me. I finally got far enough away from him (in a panic) that I thought I could turn and run for the car. I did and got away from him but fell down once in the process. He followed to the edge of the house and gobbled and gobbled at me.

The picture is of the turkey standing at the corner of the house gobbling at me--he was truly a guard turkey--I don't think I am going back to that friends house--ever.

LESS STRESS???

I went in to see my doctor yesterday for a physical examination and to get my yearly refill of prescriptions. The doctor covered a lot of ground with the examination and we had a pretty good visit too. My blood pressure has dropped 20 points on the top and 28 points on the bottom since I retired (116/60)in January. Doc said I have dropped into the low risk patient category from the moderate category I was in a few months ago. I can feel the difference in stress in my life---it is way reduced from what it was when I was working. Maybe they are right with the Delta Airlines study---the earlier you retire the longer you live---hope so---I am loving retirement.

Down side to the examination is that today I had to go to the hospital for a series of fasting blood tests---Doc said yesterday we met my agenda for the examination and after he gets the blood test results we will have met his---so guess time will tell if all is really well---I'm feeling great.

SOME PICS

A couple of shots of the tournament---there were eight matches going on at the same time. Seened pretty chaotic but was well organized or it would still be going. There were at least ten schools there.

LITTLE LEAGUE WRESTLING IS TOUGH

Went to a little league wrestling tournament tonight to watch two of my grand kids wrestle. The oldest has wrestled all year and wrestled 39 matches before he won his first match. His younger brother attended practices two years ago but never got to participate in a meet. Tonight the younger one won his first match---the older one lost all three of his matches. Like I said little league wrestling IS tough. I was proud of both of them for participating. If they continue they will walk away with a huge increase in self confidence and a new insight that they can take on tasks and even if they lose they win in the long run. Experience is a great asset---especially in wrestling and in life. BUT YOU GOTTA PAY THE PRICE TO GET IT!

MUSINEA ERUPTING

I may have posted this picture before but I think it is soooo funny. The guy that took it had to drive quite a ways to get the smoke column from the fire and the mountain to line up. I love this picture.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG.....NOT!!!

Went to the store a couple of hours ago---after we drove home in a white out Inklings took a picture out the front window---glad I don't have to go anywhere today. MAYBE THIS IS PART OF THE SIX MORE WEEKS!!!!!

RECOLLECTIONS

It is always fun to go back and look at the fire photos I have in storage. This one was taken by a very good friend in Idaho a few years ago. This was the ground fire early in the day---by afternoon it was a conflagration.

SPRINGS ALMOST HERE

One of my friends sent me this picture with a caption saying:
"Spring is almost here--I can see the deer moving around---won't be long now."
I thought it was so funny that I'm putting it here for all y'all to see.